Plants are incredibly efficient at converting sunlight into energy, but a team of researchers at MIT is looking to improve on nature by creating super-powered bionic plants that can use photosynthesis to harness solar energy, detect airborne pollutants and more. In other green tech news, scientists at the University of Colorado designed a new toilet that zaps poop into biochar using nothing but the sun. Researchers at the University of Washington have built a two-dimensional light emitting diode that they claim is the world's thinnest LED -- it's 10,000 times thinner than a human hair -- that can be used as a source of light. Clothes washing is one of the most energy-intensive household processes, but a team of Chinese designers wants to change that. The team has developed the Waterwheel washing machine, which combines the mechanism of modern spinning washing machines with traditional washing techniques used in ancient China. In wearable tech news, Kolon Sport has created a new survival jacket that features a personal wind turbine that can be used to power up the jacket's heating system. And scientists at Ming Chuan University have created a high-tech knee brace that stores kinetic energy and converts it into heat that can be used once you finish your workout.

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